Court rejects city's paint suit

An Illinois appeals court today dismissed the City of Chicago's lawsuit against manufacturers of lead pigment used in paint.

The Appellate Court of Illinois upheld a circuit court's 2003 decision that the city cannot sue the manufacturers over a pigment used in house paint that hasn't been used for decades.

The court said lead-caused injuries were the fault of landowners who ignored laws requiring them to remove the paint, not the manufacturers.

The court's decision, in part, read: "The hazard only exists because Chicago landowners continue to violate laws that require them to remove deteriorated paint."

Said a spokesman for the defendants: "The court's decision reflects what Americans know to be true - companies that made lead pigment used in paint decades ago are not responsible for poorly maintained homes where children are exposed to lead paint risks today."

A spokeswoman for the city's Department of Law said: "We're disappointed in the decision and and we'l be reviewing our options. We still feel that the industry that caused the problem should play some role in fixing it."